In 1980 the Chords were one of my turntable staples, the first four 7" singles spinning around and around regularly. Sharp guitar stabs, a drummer who MUST have been Keith Moon (stories of Keith Moon's death in 1978 surely were greatly exaggerated) vocals and backing vocals to sing along to all night long! The band, or rather the record company, released four singles and an album within a year of 'Now It's Gone', the debut 7" single from The Chords being released. That was some product, and it certainly kept me happy enough as I walked away from the record shops every few months! By the end of 1978 new groups began springing up like weeds, all giving allegiance to the sounds of the past but dragging them through the ashes of punk. Among these bands were the Chords, a southeast London group formed in January 1979 when singer/guitarist Billy Hassett and his bassist cousin Martin Mason advertised for musicians in The NME and found guitarist and band songwriter Chris Pope. Original drummer Paul Halpin did not stay long, at least behind his kit; eventually he became the group’s tour manager. In his stead came Brett “Buddy” Ascott, and by March 1979 the Chords were taking the stage. They gigged continuously over the spring and summer, headlining two mod festivals at London hotspot the Marquee. The Chords’ reputation was rising quickly, and among their early supporters were Paul Weller, who caught one of their first shows, and Sham 69’er Jimmy Pursey, who swiftly signed the group to his JP Productions company. The Chords cut a handful of studio tracks including 'Now It's Gone' for Pursey before the relationship soured. The Chords displaying a decent moral stance stopped 'Now It's Gone' being the first single by an authentic mod revival band in 1979. The Merton Parkas won that accolade. Something must have gone terribly wrong if that was to be the case! The Chords had lost vital weeks in limbo while the band had told Jimmy Pursey to 'go f--k himself'. The Chords decided that Pursey's antics at a Chords / Undertones gig in Guildford, running on stage with his muckers, Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and dozens of skinheads, knocking equipment over and disrupting the Undertones mid performance was worthy of ditching Jimmy Pursey, and remaining friends with the victims of the prank, The Undertones. JP Productions 'parent' label, Polydor Records, graciously picked up the band, no doubt to the annoyance of Hersham Boy, Jimmy Pursey. For their debut single, the Chords chose one of the songs recorded for Pursey, ‘Now It’s Gone,’ recut it, and released it in September 1979. It rose to Number 63 in the U.K. chart, and they followed it up in January with ‘Maybe Tomorrow,’ which, bolstered by rave reviews in the press, shot up to the Top 40. Their third single ‘Somethings Missing,’ was released in April 1979. This taster for their debut album, ‘So Far Away’, did not do quite as well as its predecessor, only reaching number 55. However, any worries that were harboured about the success of the album were put to rest with its arrival in May when the album slammed into the Top 30, bolstered by a U.K. tour. In early June 1980, the band recorded ‘The British Way Of Life’ and ‘The Way It’s Gotta Be’. In my opinion this record is the 'complete' 7" single by The Chords, as in absolutely perfect. The quality of both sides of the record is immense, 'British Way Of Life' lyrically being a mixture of bittersweet nostalgia for a calm safe life totally at odds with youth boredom and hopelessness. dirty streets like dirty dreams a pint for your best friend plenty of shops with nothing in stock never seems to end (never seems to end) a cinema, a bowling green a culture to preserve everyone always staring at each other but no one speaks a word this is the British way of life I swallow my dreams like my beer sunday dinner with the wife now cos nothing new happens here Released in July 1980, ‘The British Way Of Life’ was not helped by a strike at the BBC that knocked Top Of The Pops off the air, and when the single ground to a halt at number 54, it was a bitter disappointment. ‘In My Street,’ released in October, did slightly better. However, the group continued touring successfully, until a show at London’s Music Machine in November 1980. What transpired behind the scenes remains a mystery, but in the aftermath Hassett was relieved of his duties. In his stead came ex-Vibrators singer Kip Herring, although the old line-up was featured on the cover of their next single, ‘One More Minute,’ which arrived in May 1981. It was a flop, as was August’s ‘Turn Away Again.’ The Chords called it a day the following month. The mod revival that had swept them to prominence had peaked and in the battle for the high street fan, the dance friendly 2-Tone movement had won out. The Chords were a band that burned so brightly and then burnt out far too quickly. The photographs of Essex Cougers SC from the Steve Butler collection.

• published: 14 Apr 2020
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